Ian Fortune
It was a glorious evening at Shelbourne Park on Friday with wonderful sunshine, warm temperatures and a great atmosphere. Twenty-four hours later, it really should be even better with a top-class card expected to accompany all of the above factors.
The quarter finals of the Sporting Press Online Edition Irish Oaks are the feature, while the semi-finals of the hugely valuable Shelbourne Summer Cup will also provide top class action.
GLENGAR TO GET GOING
Glengar Martha was stunning in the Oaks in both the opening and second round, setting the standard on both nights and she may well do the same this evening from a kind draw in the stripes in the last of the four quarter finals.
The Pat Buckley trained star has all the qualities needed to come out on top in the bitch classic. Blessed with terrific early speed, allied with wonderful trapping ability and huge back straight, she rarely finds herself in a position where she can’t win from.
Indeed, Glangar Martha has improved with age and seems to be at the peak of her powers at three and a half years. Tonight, Bill Wood’s brilliant bitch is again expected to dictate the pace with none of her rivals capable of matching her into the turn on a consistent basis.
In terms of picking a main danger, many will feel her kennel companion Unanimous Roxy is the one to be wary of. She has failed to really sparkle in the early rounds but on top form is one of the fastest in training. She will need to come away racing from three but is respected.
Droopys Bundle and Sadies Lucy are drawn towards the inside of the track and could potentially get involved if putting their best foot forward but neither can afford any mistakes. Droopys Glamour will be finishing strongly and will be looking to make the frame late but vote for third goes to Blackeyed Turbo. A very strong running lady, she will probably finish faster than any and she can make the frame in the second half of the contest.
IMPROVING ELLIE CAN DOMINATE
The opening heat of the round features impressive second round winner Innfield Riddle and Annadown Ellie with the nod going to the latter after a career best 28.36 return last week.
Under the care of Ginger McGee, Annadown Ellie is growing with each outing, highlighted by her latest run.
Taking control into the bend, she really did turn the screw from the third turn to emerge a facile six length winner. That was just her fifth career outing and it seems safe to assume there is better improvement to come.
Innfield Riddle (formerly Ballymac Riddle) will race under her new name for the first time. Now in the ownership of Barry Clancy, the daughter of Ballymac Best was always in front in her latest run, opening her account with a length in hand in 28.60.
Much like Annadown Ellie, she too is lightly raced and can only improve for the effort. In what is her seventh career outing, she is likely to race prominently.
Ballymac Danica is perhaps the most interesting runner left in the Oaks. We know just how good she can be but seems a bit off her best in recent weeks as she returns from seasonal rest. Of course, with each run and each week, she should be getting closer and closer to a return to her very best.
That is a concern for her rivals, although she does need to do everything right from a rails draw as she must turn in a qualifying position to get through.
Voyage Eala looks a really bright prospect but her inexperience remains a concern. In what is just her third career start, the Scott Phelan trained star must get off the front to really threaten. Hawkfield Abbie remains a wonderful servant for her connections but needs luck to land a telling blow, while Ballymac Marcia will be finishing fast but may leave herself with too much to do.
Annadown Ellie is a worthy favourite and she is chosen to make all to see off Ballymac Danica and her former kennel companion Innfield Riddle.
O’NEILL HOLDS THE KEY
Tom O’Neill holds the key to Heat 2 with both Clonmore Alice and Lemon Orla expected to get involved for the Castletownroche based handler.
The pair have very different racing styles but both are very effective performers.
Clonmore Alice is huge at 78lbs but she is fleet of foot in the early yards. A trap to line winner in 28.47 last time, it’s worth noting she has gone faster in recent weeks. She is again likely to go up fast along the fence and is perhaps the most likely pace-setter and winner.
In contrast, Lemon Orla is a big finisher. Not the fastest to the turn, she really does pick up the pace from halfway and will be very hard to keep out of the frame. Indeed, if she were to show a little more urgency in the opening yards, she could make a bold bid for victory such is her pace from the second turn.
Outside of the O’Neill trained pair, Drumshanbo Susie and Ballymac Mint are respected. The former has a bit of age to her but seems to be getting better. She is relatively lightly raced and did enter the notebook last week, finishing strongly behind Innfield Riddle. If she were to come away on terms, she could emerge a big player.
Ballymac Mint had no answer to Annadown Ellie last week but has been progressive in her short career to date. She has a fine draw in the stripes but really does need to hit the ground running and turn in front if she is to add to her three career wins.
Bowadis Raven and Velvet Jenny complete the line-up. Velvet Jenny went up fast last week but kept finding traffic before fnishing a long way behind Glengar Martha. She needs a career best effort to make a mark from four. Bowadis Raven is very fast. She can really fly down the back straight but needs to find a way to turn a bit closer.
From the draw, it’s difficult to see beyond Clonmore Alice. If producing one of her usual slick exits, she can assert before the corner to dominate. Lemon Orla and Ballymac Riddle can follow her through.
BABE TO POUNCE LATE AGAIN
The remaining heat is quite an open affair although one suspects Youandme Babe and Carrigmore Freya will head the market.
The second named announced herself to the Shelbourne faithful last week, flying from boxes to make all in 28.55.
Aepeat of that form would see the Graham Holland trained bitch go close but Youandme Babe tends to find a way. One of the most powerful performers in training, she overcame traffic to pounce ion the latter stages last week to maintain her unbeaten record in the classic and it can be a similar story this evening.
The Paul Hennessy trained starlet will hope to turn close from an inside draw before making her move from halfway. Coolavannt Shona will be hoping to do the same although it’s imperative she gets first run on Youandme Babe or she will be destined for a supporting role.
Omey Mist has been running well but needs a career best effort from three. The presence of Brockagh Justine is a problem for any of those that will be hoping to dictate. Blessed with exceptional early speed, Brockagh Justine is perhaps the most likely pace-setter but is vulnerable in the second half of the contest.
Kilwest Diva completes the line up. A second runner for Gerry Holian after Omey Mist, she hasn’t been lucky with the draw and needs to do everything right to even get in contention from five.
Carrigmore Freya and Brockagh Justine are expected to play a big part in proceedings but, ultimately, Youandme Babe may turn too close and she is selected to power her way to the front in the closing stages to claim yet another superb success.
ACE AIMING FOR SUMMER CUP SUCCESS
The semi-finals of the Summer Cup will provide some of the most exciting young greyhounds in training to shine once again.
Epic Ace may be a little older than a couple of those we’re referring to but he was awesome in the opening round, posting 28.20 from the front.
He is hugely exciting and seems to be really developing into the star we expected he would be after a stunning debut at Shelbourne Park last year. He is a worthy favourite to take the second heat from a kind draw in two.
Should he trap on terms, the brilliant son of Signet Ace can assert before the turn to make every inch. One suspects he may not have things quite as easy as last week, however. Sunshine Sioux displayed all sorts of a promise in defeat on his Shelbourne debut and can improve for the run.
He has been rewarded with an ideal draw on the fence and it would no surprise to see him going considerably faster than last week. He can emerge a big threat to Epic Ace.
Clona Ice is also very fast and open to improvement. He needs to sharpen up at boxes but can finish fast to fill the frame.
SCHOLSEY A SPECIAL PROSPECT
Priceless Romeo and Happy Jet were big eye-catchers in the opening round, showing all manner of pace from the second turn but they may need to produce something special to get the better of Carrick Scholsey.
The latter is as exciting as any young greyhound in training and is fully expected to develop into a classic contender. He did plenty wrong in his opening round success but still managed to win in 28.44. It would be no exaggeration to suggest he could go a half second faster this evening if coming away racing.
From a perfect draw on the fence, the Robert Gleeson trained star is a confident selection to emerge on top. Priceless Romeo can come through for second, while the battle for third can go the way of Juvenile Derby runner-up Innfield Destiny.